Newcastle to represent Heart of England in the UK-wide Britain in Bloom finals

Newcastle-under-Lyme has been selected to represent the Heart of England region in the Small City category in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom UK Finals 2017.

It is a further honour for the Borough which last year scooped the overall Heart of England in Bloom Title for the first time, having scooped a fifteenth consecutive gold award in the competition to find the UK’s greenest communities.

Newcastle in Bloom will join 78 other Britain in Bloom finalists competing to be crowned as one of the cleanest, greenest and most beautiful places in the UK.

National finalists are recognised for their commitment to environmental responsibility, high levels of community participation and outstanding gardening achievements.

Keen residential gardeners, community groups, businesses and schools come together with Newcastle Borough Council to ensure the area looks at its best each summer.

Cllr Amelia Rout, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture, said: “From formal floral displays to back garden flower beds, Newcastle residents make a tremendous effort each summer and this has paid off with regional and national Britain in Bloom recognition for the Borough.”

National judges will be out across the Borough in August 2017 as Newcastle bids for the national Britain in Bloom title, and the winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony in Llandudno, North Wales on 27 October.

Now in its 53rd year, Britain in Bloom has evolved into a UK-wide campaign that brings communities together while promoting the environmental and health and wellbeing benefits of gardening.

Andrea Van Sittart, RHS Head of Community Outreach said: “Congratulations to Newcastle on reaching the UK Finals of this year’s RHS Britain in Bloom campaign. To represent their region on the UK stage is an incredible achievement and shows they are already at the top

level of community gardening, going the extra mile to improve their local area and make it cleaner, greener and more beautiful for everyone.”